Head of Pay & Employment Services Hub in Leicester

Are you ready to lead the transformation of employment services in one of the UK’s largest NHS Trusts? We are seeking an experienced and visionary leader to head our integrated Employment Services Hub, driving innovation and excellence in pay, pensions, and benefits for our diverse workforce.

We are looking for someone who:

• Holds an IPPM Diploma or equivalent postgraduate qualification, with advanced theoretical knowledge of payroll.
• Has extensive, up-to-date knowledge of employment legislation, HR best practice, and proven experience managing payroll services.
• Demonstrates excellent communication, leadership, and change management skills.
• Is adept at contract management, analysis of complex data, and problem-solving.
• Shows commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, treating all individuals with dignity and respect.
• Is robust, adaptable, and able to manage a demanding workload with competing priorities.

Main duties of the job:

• Lead the transition to a modern, technology-driven Employment Services Hub, ensuring efficient, customer-focused service delivery.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to Operational People Services and Pay Services, maximizing efficiency and performance.
• Manage a significant budget and oversee multiple contracts, including external payroll, expenses, and benefits providers.
• Develop and implement policies, service improvements, and business cases for future investment.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, NHS policies, and audit standards.
• Act as the Trust’s expert on pay, pensions, and benefits, providing guidance and assurance on best practices and regulations.
• Foster a team-based culture focused on professionalism, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction.

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030). We have four primary goals:

• High-quality care for all,
• Being a great place to work,
• Partnerships for impact, and
• Research and education excellence.

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours.

Training & Qualifications:

• IPPM Diploma or post grad diploma level of equivalent experience.
• Advanced theoretical knowledge of payroll acquired through qualification or experience.

Experience:

• Have extensive up to date knowledge of employment legislation, terms and conditions of employment and HR best practice.
• Proven experience of managing and delivering a payroll service.
• Contract management of an external payroll provider.

Communication and relationship skills:

• Excellent communication skills, to be able to communicate at all levels with a professional and non-bias manner, and be able to liaise, advise and interact as appropriate, with staff at all levels within and external to the Trust.
• Proven ability to develop professional working relationships with all stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead, develop and motivate a team, along with the ability to apply change management.
• Ability to deal with people in complex, confrontational and highly emotive situations and gain engagement in a resistant environment.
• Ability to build consensus amongst varied and challenging stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrate the capability to motivate collaboration.

Analytical and Judgement skills:

• Ability to deal with highly complex organisational issues and make recommendations.
• Ability to complete analysis of complex data/reports/legislation effectively despite frequent interruptions needing immediate attention.
• Use initiative and analysis of data to inform decision making.
• Problem solving and creative thinking skills with the ability to explain things in a clear and concise way.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and respond confidently with matters that do not fall within previous experience/remit.

Skills:

• Advanced keyboard skills.
• Ability to write and present committee papers.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Planning and organisation skills.
• Formulate and adjust plans or strategies to ensure deliverance due to the broad range of complex activities and ongoing work programmes.
• Ability to plan over short and long term timescales and tolerate high levels of uncertainty.
• Robust, with the ability to balance priorities and meet personal and departmental targets with a fluctuating and demanding workload.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and to manage a large number of conflicting and frequently changing priorities.
• Ability to develop new ways of working using planning, facilitation, collaboration and capacity planning and continuous improvement skills.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.

All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of high quality care and interactions with others.

Other requirements specific to the role:

• On site presence.
• Ability to travel to different sites.

Additional Information:

Please submit your application form without delay to avoid disappointment; we will close vacancies prior to the publishing closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed application forms.

Please check the email account (including your junk mail) that you supplied as part of your application on a regular basis following the closing date and throughout the recruitment process, as this is how we will communicate with you.

UHL is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who match our job criteria.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

UHL is committed to helping colleagues balance the demands of both their work and personal needs through flexible working arrangements wherever reasonably practicable and subject to service needs.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check:

Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check. The Trust will pay for the check initially and the money will then be deducted from your salary over a three month period commencing on your first month's payment. The current price of a check is £38 for an enhanced and £18 for a standard check.

Due to the current Covid pandemic we have introduced a staff risk assessment into our pre-employment process. This now forms part of the mandatory pre-employment checks that will be carried out if you receive a conditional offer. The risk assessment is intended to ensure you are able to safely perform your duties in any of our work areas, and if you have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. Our main aim is to reduce risk and to ensure the safety of all new starters to the Trust as well as current staff, patients and visitors.

If it is identified that you are within a vulnerable category, we will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate this through discussions with both Occupational Health and your recruiting manager.

Covid-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, family, colleagues and our patients/service users from the Covid-19 virus. We therefore continue to encourage our current and potential colleagues to get vaccinated.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust holds the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does and all that it stands for. We are committed to developing a workforce that is representative of the community we serve. We welcome applications from the diverse community of Leicester, Leicester and Rutland, to help deliver healthcare services that meets the needs of our diverse communities.